WAITAKI COUNTY COUNCIL.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1141, 11 December 1879, Page 2

WAITAKI COUNTY COUNCIL.

♦ The regular monthly meeting of the County Council was held to-day, when there were present—Messrs. Duncan (in the chiur), Falconer, Todd, Murcott, Johnston, \V'. Sutherland, and Thomson/ The minutes of the previous meeting and the annual meeting were read and

confirmed, and the outward correspondence was read and approved. Constable Donovan, Slaughter-yards in the JSTgapara district, reported that he had inspected the slaughter-yards in that district, and had always found them clean and regularly kept. A similar report was read from Constable Welsh, Inspector for the Duntroon district. Constable King, Inspector for the Oamaru sub-division, reported that the slaughter-yards were all kept clean, with one exception, that : of Mr. John Myers, at the Cape, in whose case proceedings had been taken. Constable Green, Inspector for Moeraki and Otepopo, reported that the slaughter-yards in that district were kept clean, and free from offensive smells. A letter was read from the Treasurer intimating that the sum of Ll3 Is 3d, goldfields revenue and gold duty, had been paid into the bank to the credit of of the County. The Clerk of the Yincent County Council wrote that the letter from the Waitaki County Council had been considered by the Council, and that the Yincent County had since the floods spent LI2OO in opening up the Lindis road, and that three men were now at work on the road. The writer concluded—" You will therefore see that it has cost this County four times as much as the Waitaki County." The Engineer to the Mount Cook Road Board wrote as follows, in reply to a letter from the Council with reference to the construction of a road to the site of a proposed Ohau bridge :—" lam directed to say that the Board will take action in the matter before the bridge is finished, but at present xio communication has reached us relative to the site of the bridge."

The following letter was read from the Clerk to the Waste Lands Board:—"I am directed to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 17th inst., asking authority to lay off a road line to connect proposed bridge over the Ohau River with the main road, as per section 87 of the Public Works Act, 1876, and to request you to forward a plan of the road referred to."

The Chairman said it appeared that if any further action were to be taken in regard to the erection of a bridge over the Ohau River, it would be necessary to instruct the Engineer to prepare a plan of the proposed road. Considering the state of their finances, and the amount the work would cost, it would be better to let the matter stand over for the present.

On the motion of Mr. Murcott, this suggestion was adopted. Mr. R. H. Chapman wrote, in explanation to a complaint made by Mr. H. Ross with reference to the manner in which the Kurow pound was conducted, stating that Mr. C. Hille is paid by him to feed and attend to the cattle in the pound, and that they had an ample supply of food and water. The pound yard consists of only one pen, and the cow that died was kicked by a horse impoundod with the cattle ; and the writer stated that there should be an additional pen. The writer also stated that he had consented to act as poundkeeper at the request of the Chairman. He had found the appointment unremunerative and unpleasant, and he would gladly be relieved from any further duty as poundkeeper, but would agt until his successor could be appointed. Some discussion took place upon the matter, during which it was stated that there was little or no necessity for the pound, but if it were to be maintained, it would have to be rendered complete, in accordance with the ordinance.

It was decided to forward a oopy of Mr. Chapman's letter to Mr. Ross. The folio .ving letter was read : Dunedin, December 1, 1579.

Dear Sir, —-Will you kindly ask the Council, at its next meeting, to pass another LSOO to the credit of the Upper Waitaki Commissioners. The Waimate Council have paid L 4300, and at our next meeting it will got another L2GO, making both contributions the same.

The Commissioners have payments to make for ironbark piles, as well as the contractor's last certificate, and require the money at once. —Yours faithfully, Jonx M'Grecjor. C'lork Waitaki County Council.

Mr. W. Sutherland stated that he had lately visited the works, and he must say that he had been agreeably disappointed at the amount of progress that had been made.

It was decided to vote the money asked for.

The Clerk to the Waimate County Council wrote, applying for certain information with reference to the total amount expended by the Council and several Road Boards in the county since January, 187G ; also a list of the officers employed by the several Road Boards and t : > e county, with the salaries paid to each. ■ It was decided to supply as much of the information as referred to the Council, and to refer the writer to the Road Boards for the ballance. The Clerk read a statement of accounts between the County and the newly created Borough of Hampden prepared I y him, This showed that the sum of LG Gs 9d was due to the Baraqgh. Mr. Murcott said he regretted that necessity had arisen for having Hampden created a Borough, as the township had been well treated by the Council. He regretted that he could not say the same with regard to another public body. The inhabitants had been compelled to form themselves into a Borough in qrdgr to protect themselves. It was decided to hand the balance to the Hampden Borough on the Mayor giving a receipt for the amount in payment of all claini3. The following characteristic letter was read : Waikoura, Dec. Bth, 1879. The Chairman and County Councillors of Waitaki. Gentlemen, —I beg to call your attention to the copy of a note receired from your solicitors, dated the 14th October, 1879. [copy-] • - Mr. Peter Aitchison. Yourself and County Council. Dear Sir,—As desired by you, the, statement of the case is herewith returned ; but it has not been approved of. On behalf of the County Council. Yours, truly, J. O'Meagher, The Chairman. * Per M. T. S. Sir, —In addressing you again on this subject I naturally enquire, What is the meaning of this delay in publicly refusing to either hand over the appeal with your sanction and approval, or why does your solicitor not say like a man at once that you cannot accept of Mr. Parker's notes as copied, or stated by Mr, Hislop ; or is your solicitor afraid to meet the case in the Supreme Court ? Has he carried the case in Oamaru and afraid to have it upset in a higher court, or has he led you to believe that the case is only the production of a bush lawyer ? As your late Chairman introduced my application some two years ago (or nearly so), Gentlemen, I again call upon you as British subjects to treat the case as'honorable justice- requires. Is ever mind what sort of a lawyer addresses you, conduct all public business with honor to yourselves; and my worst wish will be that I may never more behold a Justice of the Peace advise a fresh member of your Board to relinquish what he considered right and just to his fellow-man and a credit to any public body, as much as to say we are not agreed on the case, and don't move in the matter, so he opened not his mouth. Gentlemen, you will excuse me so far as to say, from my point of Yieiv and treatment of the case in all its bearings, that your Cpuncil fully approves of your Solicitor's actions thereto, —I am, &c., Peter Aitchison. Some discussion took place upon the matter, during which several of the Councillors expressed themselves puzzled as .to what Mr. Aitchison wanted. It was decided to simply acknowledge receipt of the letter. [Left sitting.]

RESIDENT MAGISTRATES COURT

THIS*DAY. (Before T. W. Parker, Esq., R.M.) DRUNKENNESS. Patrick Welsh was charged with being drank and disorderly at Ngapara jesterday, and was lined 10s, or to suffer 48 hours' imprisonment. SLY-GKOG CASES. Inspector Thompson asked that the case of Jessie Davies should be again called on as he had an application to make. He stated that when the evidence had been previously taken, a witness named Hamilton swore that he was not in the Glasgow Boarding-house on the date named in the information, and that he had not had drinks with Welsh or M'Fotrish. Since the hearing of the case information of material importance had come to the Inspector's knowledge, and he wished to further examine the witness. Mr. Newton contended that as the case had been closed the application was too late. A fter discussion, his Worship decided to grant the application. Edward Perry, of the Swan Hotel, was called and sworn, but Mr. Newton objected to his evidence being taken, and cited cases to show that the course was illegal. Eventually Inspector Thompson asked that the case might be dismissed without prejudice, so as to enable him to bring it on again. This was agreed to, and the hearing of the case was postponed. Emma Wright was charged with selling certain liquor to James M'Fetrish on the 13th November. Inspector Thompson prosecuted and Mr. Newton defended, and pleaded Not guilty. Thomas Henry Welsh deposed that he knew the defendant. He had seen her at a house at Richmond's Crossing on the 13, th November, M'Fetrish, Bust, and Clelland were with witness. He saw defendant outside her house, and M'Fetrish asked her if she had any beer. She said " No," and he said " What have you got." She replied whisky, and M'Fetrish said "Let us have a drink." She invited them inside, and the four went into the front room, Clelland coming in about two minutes after the others. Defendant brought three glasses from some other room containing whisky, which she said was Dunville's. Bust said she had brought him too much, and defendant emptied half the whisky out of his glass and gave it to Clelland. Witness lent M'Fetrish two shillings to pay for the drinks, which he gave to defendant. He then went out of the house and commenced speaking to Bust, and defendant came outside and threw the two shillings at him, saying " Take it, I don't want it." He said it was not his, he had lent it to M'Fetrish. She told the children to go and pick up the money. Cross-examined by Mr. Newton : I have never been in gaol. Neither M'Fetrish or myself were drunk on the 13th November. M'Fetrish was with me about one hour and a half previous to going to defendant's. At no time before we had the drinks did defendant say she did not sell liquor. No one in the house said that defendant's husband would not allow her to sell drinks, I did not see Clelland running after the cab with the two shillings. James M'Fetrish deposed that after he had got into Bust's cab he was called back into the house to have another drink. The rest of the evidence given by witness was merely a corroboration of that previously given. In cross-examination by Mr. Newton, the witness said he was not drunk when he went out to defendant's, but he was a " little bit on " when he got home. He had not a black eye on the 13th November. He was not certain whether Bust and Clelland were present when lie asked defendant if she had any beer. He would positively swear that he was not drunk on last Tuesday opposite Farr's shop in Thames-street. Ho went to defendant's house for the express purpose of catching her selling liquor. He was thirty-two years of age, and had only been in gaol once, and that was for being drunk. Frederick Bust, a cabman, deposed that he recollected the 13th November last, and had driven defendant from Oamaru to her residence on that date. He saw M'Fetrish, Welsh, and Clelland there. Welsh called witness into the house to have a drink, and Mrs. Wright told him that she did not sell drink, and ordered him off; but she asked him (witness) to have a d.rink-. He had some whisky, brought to him in a glass, but he poured some of it into another glass. Welsh and M'Fetrish also had some drink. He heard M'Fetrish ask Welsh for the loan of some money to pay for the drinks. Shortly afterwards they left, defendant following and throwing some money after M'Fetrish and Welsh. Cross-examined by Mr. Newton : M'Fetrish was very drunk when he was at defendant's house, and Welsh had "as much as was good for him, v Defendant did not bring in three glasses of liquor at one time whilst witness was there. Mr. Newton briefly addressed the Bench, and the case was adjourned.